Computer systems no longer operate in isolation. Many systems depend upon third party services to function properly. To facilitate effective collaboration, developers may perform SIT to verify that packages interconnect properly prior to determining whether applications meet customer needs (e.g., via user acceptance testing (UAT)).
For example, when a company develops a new module or service for an existing system, the module may be integrated into the application and database layers of the existing system. SIT ensures that new modules properly interface with existing applications and databases, while permitting preexisting functions to continue normal operations. Users benefit from discovering potential interference caused by new modules prior to actual deployment, as SIT prevents system downtime caused by integration problems.